Serendipity strikes again...

Just as I was complaining about my compression sleeve... and dragging my feet about ordering a new one... I received not one, not two but THREE new sleeves for free.

I love moments like this. Yay me!

I'll explain it all to you in another post... later.

The first of (suspected) many complaints about my compression sleeve

Deep, deep sigh. I friggin' HATE this doggone compression sleeve. I have heard from other lymphedema sufferers that they don't particularly mind wearing their sleeves. I've been a pretty good sport about a lot of things on this journey with breast cancer but this sleeve irks me like nobody's damn business. Ugh.

I broke down and purchased this sleeve at the end of August. I was travelling to Atlanta the first weekend in September and I knew that the flight would cause me all sorts of problems. So, I went online (that's where I live) and found a sleeve that I figured would work.

The pros:

• ordering the sleeve was easy enough.
• the product that I chose seemed to be from a really great company with a heart for women struggling with lymphedema after breast cancer surgery
• I received the sleeve quickly -- it took me forever to make the decision to purchase so I had to expedite shipping in order to receive it before I left on my trip.
• the company who manufactured the product (lymphedivas) packaged everything really nice. Made me quite excited to use the sleeve when I received it.
• the customer service representative at lymphedivas was extra helpful when I needed some help/answers.

The cons:

• I picked the most horrible color imaginable -- its this medicinal looking putrid beige-ish color. Ick.
• the cost was a bit prohibitive to me. I think the sleeve and gauntlet (sleeve for your hand) cost me about $110 or so. 
• the sleeve started unravelling after about 6 weeks of use. I thought that was ridiculous. I will have lymphedema (most likely) for the rest of my life. A $110 habit every couple of months is OUT-FREAKING-RAGEOUS.
• I learned from talking to the customer service rep that sleeves are expected to last about 6 months. That's it. Six whole months. And... they suggest having at least 2 to rotate every other day.

I'm frustrated right now because I know that I won't make it six months with the current sleeve that I have. I must order a new one and soon. But I simply do not want to spend the money to purchase two new sleeves this time only to have to turn around and purchase two more a couple of months down the road.

Seriously? This is for the doggone birds. Its ugly. Its NOT sexy. It takes away from everything you want to wear and look like a normal human being. It causes far more conversation than you're usually in the mood for. Its relatively expensive...

...and I need it. (shrug) So, this is the last of my whining about it. I'll be ordering my new sleeves in a few days. I don't like it. But... that's my life right now.

If you're interested in checking out lymphedivas, this is their site:
http://lymphedivas.com/ 

Honestly, I will likely order from them again -- this time directly from their site.  I used a different site before but after talking to Joel (I think that was his name), I think that ordering directly from them will be the best course of action.  I am generally pleased with my experience. Just frustrated at the trial and error process of everything I have to use on this journey.

So sick of the sleeve... compression sleeve that is

Many breast cancer survivors wear compression sleeves to keep their lymphedema in their arm (and sometimes hands) in check. You probably have noticed these women around your town and wondered why they had on what looked like an athletic garment. I never thought that I would be one of those women but I am.

The sleeve itself isn't horrible but its awkward and well, not that sexy. I am supposed to wear it throughout the day and then take it off at night. But I actually keep mine on day and night, unless I'm going somewhere and I really want to look, well, normal. Its hard to be a hottie in a nice dress with a long compression sleeve on. LOL... it totally takes away from the look.

But seriously... I'm just sick of this thing. For one, I ordered the wrong color so it really stands out that I have it. I will say that they come in a lot of colors and patterns. But for my first one, I chose one that was a neutral color instead of a wild pattern or bold color. But its boring and I'm sick of wearing this thing. Plus, I don't think its working really. My arm is still swollen and its not going down. I'm frustrated. I can't afford to go back to physical therapy but I've got to figure something out. I can't go on like this for the rest of my life. Back and forth to therapy, always wearing bandages or a sleeve? Just... ugh. Frustration.

Today I'm annoyed at this sleeve and the lymphedema that forces me to wear it. But, I'll smile and grin anyway because being annoyed means that I am alive ... and that's something to be happy about.

I'm doubly frustrated because this sleeve is relatively new and its unraveling, which means that I need to order another one... sigh. Always more money to spend. Being a survivor is just not cheap nor easy.